Singaporean woman deported from Australia for overstaying, illegal sex work

SINGAPORE - A woman from Singapore living in Brisbane has been deported for overstaying her student visa, the Australian Border Force (ABF) said in a statement on Friday (March 19).

It did not say where she was sent.

She had also been found guilty on state charges for engaging in prostitution and knowingly participating in the provision of the service by another, the ABF added.

Those convicted of knowingly participating in the provision of prostitution face imprisonment of three years for the first offence in the state of Queensland, where Brisbane is located.

The woman, who was not named, had allegedly facilitated illegal prostitution, which is also a breach of Covid-19 public health directions in Australia.

She was detained by the ABF on Feb 25 and "removed" on March 11.

ABF Assistant Commissioner Tim Fitzgerald said the removal of the woman shows how seriously the ABF was taking the alleged facilitation of illegal sex work.

"We work very closely with our partners, including the Australian Federal Police and Queensland Police, to combat the myriad of issues associated with this sort of crime," he added.

"When illegal prostitution is facilitated, other serious issues are often present. In addition, all non-citizens in Australia are required to hold a valid visa for their stay."

[embed]https://twitter.com/i/status/1372712008026615808[/embed]

This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.